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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Apr 05, 2012 by Business Editorial Board |
| Overview: |
The site provides the link to a lively presentation on the ‘The Story of Stuff’ that examines the environmental and social repercussions of the United States’ consumer culture. The Learner will be viewing and listening to lectures and explanations of economic principles by Annie Leonard. It also provides a brief summary of the Learning Objectives, Discussion Questions, and a textbook title. For extra teaching materials, faculty can sign up for free or log in if a member of Mindgate Media. |
| Learning Goals: |
• Students will be able to appreciate a quick overview of how resources move and waste is created from extraction, production, distribution, consumption to disposal processes.
• Students will get an idea on the level of consumerism in the States that has become environmentally unsustainable, thereby creating a crisis with global environmental and social ramifications. |
| Target Student Population: |
• Beginner/Introductory/Survey Economics, Introduction to Microeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics
• Non-economics students taking an Microeconomics as a minor |
| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
Basic computer skills and foundational knowledge of the concepts of finance or economics. Access to the Internet. |
| Type of Material: |
Presentation |
| Recommended Uses: |
• The presentation can be used as an opening OR a summary/closure to the chapter on ‘Natural Resources and/or Energy Economics’ both in class and online.
• It can also be used to facilitate in-class and/or online discussion to connect to the related concepts covered.
• The online video can also be used as a team project or report to relate the content to their immediate homes and/or neighborhood. |
| Technical Requirements: |
Browsers: Internet Explorer & Firefox, Flash |
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| Strengths: |
• Allows the learner to see and interact with the economic concepts through the video
• Provides easy to understand and view examples of economic principles
• Identifies a clear and succinct set of learning objectives based
• The video is of a high quality and provides a succinct view of the impact of the existing consumerism and production on the environment and society. |
| Concerns: |
• Very short general introduction has minimal instructions on use of the site
• The author demonstrated considerable favoritism toward the consumerism, environmental and social issues
• Very specific course content, difficult to use outside of the economics courses |
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:     |
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| Strengths: |
The instructor can take advantage of the ‘Discussion Questions’ provided at the website as an opening , a summary or closure to the chapter on ‘Natural Resources and/or Energy Economics’ both in class and online. It can also be used to facilitate in-class and/or online discussion to connect to the related concepts covered. In addition, there is a RESOURCES tab on the video site that provides some ideas on how to use the presentation. Learners are able to learn about environmental, social issues, and consumerism in one presentation |
| Concerns: |
• Did not find an indication of what perquisite knowledge in business, finance and/or economics would be required for this presentation
• Learners need to understand the web site presentations are designed around the economics and the “Story of Stuff” project
• End-users could go directly to the original ‘The Story of Stuff’ website to use the resources provided, thereby bypassing the Mindgate Media site that also comes with the extra teaching materials provided but requires login for instructors. |
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
| Rating: |
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| Strengths: |
• Website was easy to connect to and easy to maneuver on the page
• Key elements of the course material and topics were identified
• Webpage had links to other optional web links that discuss other projects in the series.
• The main strength of this video is the lively and captivating animation that condenses so much information into a short 20 minute presentation.
• Although the video was done in 2007 and has references to the Bush Administration, it can still be used to get a general idea on the subject, and then bringing in the initiatives of the Obama Administration. |
| Concerns: |
• Needed to be more explanatory as to how the presentations would or could be applied to an academic setting
• Introduction to the: Story of Stuff” project series needs to be better explained and defined.
• It could be more effective if the video is embedded on the Mindgate Media site rather than being a link to another site. |
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| Other Issues and Comments: |
The Story of Stuff is an illustrated lecture by author and environmental activist Annie Leonard that examines the environmental and social repercussions of the U.S.’s consumer culture. The Learner will be viewing and listening to lectures and explanations of economic principles. Presentation has video with audio explanation that the learner can use to respond to economic based questions. Would work well with faculty from Community College to bachelor’s degree program |
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